Drowned Memories
by TheRabbitRe
Summary: Maka wakes up from six months in a coma with no recollection of who her weapon partner is. Soul, feeling guilty for her injuries, fights helping her regain her memories. All the while, the demon of the black blood fights to keep her from remembering Soul, her weapon partner and bridge to sanity. Will Maka get her memory back, and what was that ring Soul removed from his finger?
1. Awakening

Chapter One: Awakening

The school bell rang over head as I headed down the hallway to my next class. _Unbelievable, just unbelievable I have never been late to class, never._ A constant stream of self-loathing lashed about in my brain as I finally dashed to my seat in AP Calculus. Senior year, my last year of high school and I couldn't even be on time to class. Not to mention, I had already finished achieving outstandingly high scores on both my SAT and ACT. Yet, here I was late to class.

"Maka!" A 'hushed' whisper rang towards my ear as I plopped down in my seat, as silently as I could. Although I'm unsure why I even tried to be quiet, considering BlackStar's voice caught everyone's attention.

" _Maka…"_ My stomach gripped.

"I know, I'm late. Shut up, I have to pay attention extra hard now." My two pigtails whipped around and smacked me as I turned to scold him.

This did no good, however as he continued yammering: "Why were you late," "Why do you look so disheveled," "This is basically the last week of schoo-"

He didn't stop speaking for a moment, which did horrible things to my concentration. _Why was I late to class BlackStar, well let me tell you: sometimes, because clearly I'm losing all touch on my sanity, I hear a boy speaking to me in my head and when this happens I tend to black out and as cliché as it sounds, I see some sort of faint light in the distant. And well yes, of course BlackStar, that voice is calling me to the light._ As being so distracted by this fake conversation in my head, the bell rang before I even got to write a legitimate note down. In a failed attempt to then avoid BlackStar, I scurried from the room, however his mop of spiking black hair chased me all the way to my next class. Which of course, we had together with Dr. Stein, who unlike the name was a rather normal man. Regardless of the amount of Frankenstein jokes he got, he was a rather effective teacher. Tsubaki also happened to be in this class. She (thank God) was very good at taming the one and only spastic ball of over excitement, that BlackStar is. Really it's odd the meek girl decided to dye her hair such a bright blue. But, it's whatever floats your boat.

And right as Professor Stein calmly walked into class, wearing his classic lab coat, I heard it again:

" _Please Maka…"_

 _"I'm… sorry. I would do anything…"_

 _Get out. I'm not crazy. You're not crazy. The OCD boy who refuses to be called by anything other than Death the Kid, is crazy. You're quite sane and not dating someone a foot taller than you, while also dating someone a foot shorter than you. And they're siblings what's up with that._ Regardless of what I could tell myself though, the world around me became dark and dull. People fading like wispy ghost. My head even almost hit the desk, leaving a very concernedBlackStar and Tsubaki to stare at me for the rest of class, while I fought the black room with the light at the end, and the man's voice. A voice which left my stomach feeling horrendously empty, like I had somehow forgot something terribly important to me.

Class ended, the day went by, the stares of my friends did not leave. Even when I tried to throw them off by talking about the weird love circle of Death the Kid. Nor did me trying to distract them with the school bully, Crona, picking on little tiny Ragnarok again. _Where did parents come up with these names._ And just when I was finally getting ready to escape from them, I was hit with:

"I really don't think you should drive yourself home!" A very concerned Tsubaki shouted at me as I marched quickly ahead to my car, beating BlackStar off me with a nice hardback.

"Maka stop chopping me! I don't want you to die! Whatever will I do without your class notes! I won't pass without you!"

"As very touching at that is BlackStar, I'm perfectly capable of driving my own self to my house, and Tsubaki, I'll even promise to just curl up, with a nice book, for the rest of the day." I defended myself as I quickly sat in my car, locking the door to keep a certain self-claiming ninja out.

With much reluctance, a very unhappy Tsubaki said okay and peeled BlackStar off my driver side door, and I began my ride home. Just when I reached the freeway I heard it, because I refuse to except this strange boy in my head again.

 _"I guess I know how you felt after- now…"_

 _No. Shut up, you aren't real._ But something was tugging on me. I could almost physically feel it, like a tiny string in my chest, pulling on something hidden away behind my heart. The world edged with black.

 _"If you wake up, there's nothing I won't do for you Maka…"_

My car was starting to veer off towards the side. I couldn't see well enough to drive at this point, and I was fighting it. _You have a loving father and mother waiting for you at home. It will destroy them if you wreck._

 _"-love you…"_

 _"Maka- so much…"_

 _"I never could have made it this far without you…"_

And my world was completely black, I heard a car's tires screeching and colliding with something. I knew I was in the middle of a horrible accident, but there was that tugging in my chest and while I knew I was alone in my car, I could swear someone was holding my hand. _Soul._ I got my sight back for a moment when I thought that word, _that name?_ Only to see a small frowning devil in a checkered room, and then an upside-down tree, right before my car dove into it. Or maybe it was my car that was upside-

I lurched up in bed. My mind completely blank of actual information. _Where am I. Who am I. Why can't I breathe. Somethings in my throat and I can't breathe. These sheets are itchy and things are pinching my arms._ My fingers leapt for my mouth to claw out whatever contraption was located there; I could hear the sounds of mechanical breathing and the steady beep of a monitor. I couldn't get my eyes open, or maybe they were and it was too dark to see. I heard someone move to my left and desperately tried to make my eyes cooperate, but they would not. So, I did the next best thing, I dodged to the right, which was clearly not the next best thing because I hit something cold and hard, and what felt like multiple needles were ripped out of my arms.

The monitor, which was steadily beeping, now ran a flat line as two hands desperately tried to peel me off the floor. "Maka, Maka fuck. Maka, calm down, okay, I'm here. I'm here."

I couldn't tell if the voice was trying to calm me or him, but it sounded familiar. _Wasn't I driving, how did I get here. Why can't I remember anything? Eyes work._ His hands were surprising soft on my arms as they trailed their way to my hands, something sparked in my brain. A flash of something sharp, an irrational thought, a scream. _I'm Maka, Maka Albarn. A graduate from the Death Weapon Meister Academy. My papa is Spirit-_ A searing pain ripped through my head as I whimpered but my vision finally came into focus.

"Maka?" Two shockingly red eyes peered into mine. A fluff of white hair, which appeared to be in no way styled, wafted in the light breeze from the fan above.

Behind what appeared to be an albino, yet disturbingly attractive man, was Professor Stein. Except unlike the Stein I knew, this one had a giant screw sticking out of his head. Which he was toying with. An in-numeral amount of hospital noises were screaming all around us, and I realized I had dislocated myself from a small white bed. _I must've been taken here after the car accident; no, I don't have a car. This boy has a motorcycle. But how would I know that?_

"Hey." The red eyed boy brushed my hair behind my ear and his hand rested there, on the side of my face, in the most natural way. Tingles went down my spine, as I felt that odd tugging in my chest again. I realized my heart was beating insanely fast and took the first breath in what felt like years.

His other hand expertly wrapped my hospital gown back around my naked body, I realized with embarrassment as more people entered the room, some I recognized, others I did not. "Can you tell me your name?" He almost whispered to me, like he was afraid to hear the answer.

"…" I opened my mouth to speak, but only a raspy sound came out. I felt the panic that startled me out of the bed earlier start to rise again, before the boy engulfed me in his arms. Instantly I felt at home. Yet I could not tell you the faintest reason why.

"It's okay, take it slow." His voice tickled my ear, in our now very close proximity. My arms snaked around him as I took a breath and rested my head on his broad shoulder.

"I'm Maka. Maka Albarn. Alumni to Death Weapon Meister Academy." My voice sounded quiet, weak. Not at all like I remembered it. Almost like I hadn't spoken in months.

"Do you know who I-"

"Do you know how you ended up here." A very calculated Dr. Stein cut off the boy I was currently wrapped around, who now looked as peeved as one can look, when they also appear as if they've witnessed a miracle.

"I was in a car accident?" I desperately wanted to be right, but knew I was horribly wrong.

The albino boy looked instantly concerned, but the doctor spoke. "I was worried this was going to happen. You were on a mission in Barcelona with your death scythe, Soul, and it went awry…" He paused as if I could fill him in, before he continued. "Long story short you dove in front of your weapon partner, which is extremely unorthodox, to protect him from the kishin, which you were supposed to be exterminating."

 _Kishin, I know what that is. A human gone down the wrong path, consuming human souls for power etc. Weapon partner: what the DWMA is there for. I'm a meister, that's why I'd be with a partner, naturally. My mother was an amazing meister. My papa a little bit more of a sleaze, but she made him into a death scythe. But who was Soul, when did I make a death scythe?_

"So everything I'm messing up right now, such as BlackStar and Tsubaki having swapped hair colors, me being a senior in a normal high school, you not having a screw in your head, was all a dream?"

"Yes."

"Okay but, my brain is completely scattered, I'm not sure what's real and what's not."

"You were in a coma for six months." The boy flinched and pulled away from me, looking insanely guilty. "The black blood in your system is clearly what saved you, but I also believe it is what kept you down for so long, the black blood still wants you in its grip. And I'm assuming a lot of this time was you fighting losing sanity. Your memories should fall into place in time…"

"What?" I didn't understand why the professor drifted off speaking.

"Can you tell me who that is sitting in front of you Maka. It's clear your body responds to him, but your mind?"

"…no." I was afraid to say it. The white-haired boy looked hurt, and while he tried to hide it, some part of me could just tell. His hands slid down to my hands as he stoically helped me back onto the bed, for him to sit at the side of the bed. A little farther away from me as if he was making me uncomfortable. In reality however, I felt his absence like a wound to the chest.

"I was afraid of that. I theorize that the black blood, which you received through resonating with Soul, your weapon partner and death scythe, sitting beside you there, knows he is your gateway to sanity and is therefore trying to block memories of him."

"Soul." I said his name almost questioningly, wanting the boy to move closer to me again. But, he was frozen, removing a plain silver ring from his finger to hide away in his pocket. Just when I was getting ready to inquire why, Stein interrupted:

"You received a major injury to your chest cavity, my hope is that as this heals, the black blood in your system will subside and your memories will return. However, this could not be the case-"

"MMMMAAAAAKKKKKKKAAAAAA!" I heard a shrill screech from the hall and Soul simultaneously popped up from the bed. Moving to try to block the incoming man from the hall, who shoved past a stunned silent crowd of my friends: BlackStar (silence was new for him), Tsubaki, Death the Kid (whose name and relationship status seemed entirely normal now), Patty, Liz, even little Crona and Ragnarok (boy did my dream get that one wrong); and then flung a sturdy looking Soul right into the wall, before pouncing on me.

Eliciting a shrill shriek, I did not know I was capable of, nor did I realize the amount of pain I was in until a heavy weight landed on my chest. At the sound of my pain, a very angry Soul ripped who I now realized was my papa, off my body, leading to an instant war of dodged punches; before Stein could pull them apart.

"I'm sorry pretty boy, do you think you have more of a right to my daughter than I do!" Spirit screamed.

"I do when you're causing her unnecessary pain." Soul huffed back instantly changing Spirits attitude.

"Oh! MY POOR BABY MAKA. Are you alright? Did I hurt you? Let me kiss it and make it better?" His constant monologue did not end as he darted around my bed, sweating with worry.

With a hand clasped to my chest, I muttered, "I'm fine, really, leave me be papa. I don't have a book to fend you off with."

Stein spoke up, glaring at Spirit. "It would really be best if Maka were not over stimulated, while she's trying to regain her memory. Or be further harmed. Maybe its best we leave her alone to recover, or if she prefers she could recover from home." He paused to shoot warning glances at a now scared Spirit and a stoic Soul. "Wherever you believe that home to be."

"You're always welcome with me too Maka." Tsubaki piped up from the corner and just when BlackStar began to scream, she dug her heel into his foot. I'd have to thank her for that later.

"COME WITH ME MY BABY MAKA. I'LL TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOU I PROMISE-"

"PAPA." I cut him off. The tugging in my chest told me where my home was. Even if I didn't know why. "I'm going home with Soul as soon as Dr. Stein okays it."

Spirit began pouting and stormed from the room, possibly partially from fear of Stein. Soul nor anyone else in the room, could hide the relief my decision had brought them. "There's hope for you yet," Kid seemed to say in Soul's direction. "Now if you'll excuse me I must speak to my father…"

Kid politely exited the room, followed by his two weapon partners, and a very clever Tsubaki dragging a certain blue haired ninja, who was throwing a temper tantrum.

"You've been physically capable of going home for weeks, it was only the matter of you waking up. There will be weekly checkups by me. I'll call before I come. But, I'll leave you both to it, Soul knows where your belongings are." Stein ticked his screw about as he politely exited the room, closing the door.

"Soul."

His red eyes darted to mine and then away, he seemed unsure of what to do. I scooted closer to him to wrap my arms around his shoulders, and bury my face between his shoulder blades. He seemed to relax some under my touch. Almost like it melted him as much as it did me.

I ignored all the inappropriate thoughts being this close to him brought to me, and spoke. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't remember you. I'm sorry, I don't know what happened and I can see it's killing you-"

There were tears beginning to leave my eyes when he whirled around and pulled my gown up, exposing my panties and bare chest. Oddly enough his sudden action didn't embarrass me at all, I just felt hot under his gaze until he spoke. "Don't ever apologize to me. I let this happen. I should be the one in this bed-" _Crona slicing him across the chest as he stood in front of me flashed across my eyes_ "I should be the one with this scar."

His hand drifted across the scar, the source of all the pain I had been feeling, still finely pulled together with stitches. A gap curving just below my left breast, and extensively down my side. And while I should be far more concerned with the giant wound I was seeing for the first time. Certain areas of my body tingled with anticipation at his hand being so close to my breast. My thoughts I must confess, were less than pure.

He pulled his hand away, allowing my gown to fall back into place. "It's probably better you never remember my name. It's my fault this happened to you. My fault you're in this hospital bed-"

I cut him off. "You've been in this same spot before, after Crona. You can't always be the one taking all the risk." _A flash of me by his side, A flash of the shame I use to feel over seeing his scar._ "How do you think I feel when it's you that's injured!" I was screaming, when I wasn't even sure where the argument came from.

My sentence distracted him though. "Maka, how much do you remember?"

"As far as I know, everything up to the events that caused this wound, but… of you just flashes here and there. Things you were saying brought some memories back."

He seemed to consider this before returning to his previous thoughts. "You just can't apologize." He said as he leaned forward to kiss my forehead. His lips lingered there, his breath tickling my skin before pulling away.

He pulled me from bed, supporting my six months' worth of deteriorated muscle as he handed me some pain medication, without speaking, and directed me to a nearby dresser. Which I learned contained a fresh change of clothes, and a few books.

"I've been reading to you." Soul shyly admitted, looking away before he scooped the clothes out. "Can you dress yourself or do you need my help?"

The thought of him completely undressing and dressing me again, made my knees weaker than they were already. "I can do it!" I spouted, before snatching my clothes and doing my best to briskly walk to the bathroom, located inside the small hospital room. Unfortunately my brisk walk came out as a slow stumble, which was clearly unconvincing to Soul because he stayed a few steps behind me in-case I might fall. Much to his dismay, I slammed the bathroom door in his face before he could further protest my actions. The bathroom was tiny, just a toilet and a sink about a foot apart from each other, the mirror however stopped me dead in my tracks. I looked nothing like myself. I untied the gown and let it fall to the floor. What once had been tight muscle under tan skin, was now pale with the protrusion of bones. I could see all my ribs, along with my hip bones sticking out. While it wasn't horrendous, I went from looking like a professional athlete to a super model, it shocked me, causing me to gasp. Not to mention my face just seemed tired. I allowed my fingers to trace the puffy wound that trailed so far across my body, and only had the desire to hide it from Soul's eyes. I could tell he was hurting, physically could feel the ache through the string tugging on my chest. I quickly got to work changing my clothes, snapping a bra around my chest and slipping on a t-shirt, which appeared to be Soul's, over my body. I went to pull the supplied pants up when like an idiot I managed to get tangled in them, and plop over with a bang. Slamming my head into the wall, leading to Soul bursting into the room to find my pants half way up my legs and me leaning forward rubbing my head.

"Are you alright, what happened?" He frantically announced as he launched himself to my side. Unsure of where to place his hands, they wavered about in the air.

"I'm fine just-" I muttered as I wiggled the pants the rest of the way up my legs. "Give me a second.

"Did you bump your head, idiot."

"Hey!" I puffed in indignation. I'd been in a hospital bed for six months give me a break. I reached my hand up to chop his smug head, but my force was clearly not what it had use to be considering he ignored me completely as he went to smooth my hair back down.

"Looks like you need to get back in training mode, Maka." He joked, but his smile didn't reach his droopy eyes. He stood and offered a hand to me, hiking me from the ground and into his chest in one swift motion. It was warm there, and my body instinctively laced my arms around his hips, burying my face within his chest. He tensed for a moment, before his arms too wrapped around me.

"Maka…" He breathed into my hair.

"Does it bother you? It does, doesn't it, seeing me like this…" I trailed off, afraid to look up at him, I only could tell his shift in emotions by the way his body reacted to my words. Recoiling from me, ever so slightly, like he was unworthy to be there.

"What do you mean exactly?" He spoke after a moment had passed.

"I know I didn't used to be this… frail. And I have a feeling you blame yourself for whatever it is that happened. And while I don't know how I ended up like this. I do know you're the reason I'm not in that hospital bed right now. Your voice is the voice that trailed me back here, and I don't believe you would have been able to do that, if any part of me resented you for how I ended up there to begin with." I wasn't entirely sure he heard every word I was saying as seeing how I was hiding my face against his chest.

He squeezed me tighter as if I was going to disappear, which while it felt comforting to my aching body, the string in my chest twanged with pain. "It's still my fault." He spoke so quietly I almost couldn't hear as he turned to lead me from the small bathroom we were incased in.

I didn't see any of my friends for the rest of the day, and as we headed back outside and to the apartment, I realized it was quite dark outside. _Guess everyone's asleep._ Another fun thing I learned on our way back, was he happened to live on the top floor of the apartment building, which meant lots of stairs. Stairs I was currently staring at, dauntingly. Without a word Soul scooped me up bridal style and started his way up the stairs, like he knew I'd never admit I couldn't make it and would have killed myself trying. Maybe he did know these things though.

Regardless, I protested ignoring the heat that spiked in my groin every time he touched me. And being this close to his body, the feeling was almost intoxicating. "I can walk my own self up the stairs!" I wiggled about in his arms, full heartedly trying to break free.

His only response was a very doubting look, which involved a raised eyebrow and a spiky toothed smirk. "Do you remember where you lived?"

The question took me back and I stopped squirming. "Well, while I was in a coma in whatever dream world I was in, I lived with my papa. But that doesn't feel right now and as seeing how DWMA students live with their weapon partner, I assume that I then lived with you. However, I don't remember this apartment building at all, I remember another, so I'm unsure."

He paused for a moment and his facial expression displayed he was mulling over what he should say. I could read him very well for someone I remembered nothing about, aside from some spotty memories of the horrendous wound he'd received from Crona. He finally decided to speak, breaking me from my thoughts. "We did live together when we were both students at the DWMA. However, when we graduated, we continued to live together, just in a different apartment as seeing how we weren't students anymore and you didn't want to go home to your father. Of course, Blair followed along too."

"Blair!" She'd slipped my mind. "How is she?" I spoke just as he sat me down to open the apartment door.

"Oh, same as ever." He was interrupted by said witch running across the room towards us, full speed. Unlike my papa however, she took my current physical state into mind before tackling me to the ground.

Instead, she shifted into her cat form, landing excitedly in my outreached hands. "Maka you're back! Soul's been sooooo lonely since you were gone. I was so worried; he didn't even have the energy to fend me off! If he wasn't by you, he was just locked in your shared room, surrounded by all the memories of you." She purred, rubbing against my face. _Shared room?_

"Blair." Soul spoke up sharply. "Maka doesn't exactly remember everything." I could tell he was hiding something from me. Everyone was, like they were afraid of jarring my memory.

Blair's tail twitched. "Well, I guess me and Maka will just get to have a sleep over then! I have so many things to catch you up on! I've been dating your father you know."

I dropped her to the ground as she gave an offended gasp. "Blair, I love you, but I in no way want to hear about my papa's sex life." I shuffled like a zombie through the living room to the door at the end of the hallway, past what was clearly Blair's room, and into the much more inviting landscape of Soul's. _Or I guess our room._ I could hear them speaking to one another, but my body, even though I had just woken up from a coma, was too exhausted to care. I stripped off my pants and shoes, and faceplanted into the bed, located in the middle of the room. Worming my body to the right side of the bed, I took in my surroundings.

The right side of the bed had clearly been mine, considering the stack of hardbacks located on the nightstand beside it, the only indication I had been gone was the slight layer of dust atop them. A picture of me and Soul wrapped up in one another lay beside the lamp. Hints of whatever life we had together were scattered across the room, from the shared dresser to the shared bed. _Had we been dating? We clearly had, there's no way any of this would make sense otherwise. But why is everyone dancing around it then?_ There was a keyboard on the opposing side of the room, half written on music sheets spread about the seat. The walls were a burgundy red, the sheets a calm cream. I noticed with embarrassment that a small stack of unopened condoms rested on the table beside Soul's half of the bed, but I also saw a letter there, with my hand writing.

Just as I leaned over to read it, Soul appeared in the doorway. "Hey."

His worn eyes drug over me, and I realized I was propped atop of his bed, our bed, in nothing but his t-shirt and my underwear. I didn't want to move. I wanted him to look at me. I didn't speak and he continued. "I can sleep on the couch tonight if you-"

"No!" I hadn't meant to yell, but the idea of him anywhere other than next to me currently felt alarmingly wrong. I could feel a happy tug on the string in my chest, saw his face lighten.

"Okay," he moved to turn off the light. I watched the shadow of him in the darkness, pulling the clothes from his body. Coming to the bed in his boxers, I heard him sweep his bedside table into a drawer below.

His body inched into the bed as I got under the covers, he made sure to stay on his side. Carefully keeping his body away from me as if I or he might break at the touch. I could feel his tension through the mattress. "Soul?"

"Yes?" His face turned towards me, the dim light of the street outlining the furrow of his brow.

"We were dating weren't we… the pictures on the wall, the shared room…" My voice drifted off, I was sure of the answer, but afraid of the question.

He was quiet, uncertainty shone through the string attached to my chest. I wanted to rub the worry lines from his face, but something told me to give him a moment. And so, a moment passed with only the sounds of a sleeping cat drifting from the next room between us. I shifted closer, my hand grazing his. Sensing his tension, I wrapped my fingers through his and he gripped them tightly. "Soul, it's okay. You can tell me things; I'm not going to break."

He was silent for another moment before responding, "Yes. We were, we had been for a long time."

I didn't like his use of past tense; I rolled towards him, the movement pulling my stitches, causing me to wince. I slid my free hand across his bare chest, the inviting warmth of it pulling me closer. I pressed my face into his shoulder as I spoke. "I hate this. I hate that I don't remember. It's like, my body remembers you, but my mind just has this empty hole. This gap that aches when you aren't there. Every little movement you make, I can read it through a tug in my chest. I want you to touch me, be near me, but no matter how well my body remembers you, my mind just pulls up blanks. It's unsettling, eerie, almost like I'm in a dream."

I felt his head roll towards me on the pillow we were now sharing. "Maka."

I didn't want to look at him, I could feel my face flush with embarrassment at what I had said. His spare hand ever so lightly landed upon my cheek, trying to coax me out of hiding. A shiver went down my spine.

"Maka, look at me." I tilted my head upward, peeking out from behind his shoulder, his eyes were intense, yet softly staring into mine. "Maka that pull in your chest, it's our soul's resonating, or at least trying to. Ours just pull a little more strongly than most."

He smiled at me, in a way that made his eyes kinder, but worry could still be found there as well. I leaned into his hand and he brought his lips to my forehead again. "I love you." _A flash of Soul, younger, more lean and less muscle. Scrambling for words, trying to tell me what his soul already had been for years. A flash of a kiss on the stairs, against the wall, in a pool, a hotel. All with increasing urgency. A flash of us hand and hand._

"I know." Was all I could manage to say. The tug in my chest felt stronger, a more constant pressure, but still with an ebb and flow. I pulled my body closer to him, wanting to solidify the pull of our souls, wanting to know what he knew as his arms wrapped around me pulling me even closer, like he was afraid I might disappear. My head rested across his chest, my eyes being tempted to close by the steady pace of his breathing. His chest rising, and falling, rising, falling, rising and soon I drifted to sleep.


	2. Interrruptions

Chapter Two: Interruptions

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Thank you so much to everyone who has read, favorited or followed my story. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it, and you can expect another update next weekend, maybe even containing a little something smutty;) -Much Love, TheRabbitRe.

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I woke up in the morning to three things, the sounds of someone scrambling in the kitchen, the smell of food, and the absence of Soul's body heat. Well, I say morning, but the clock on Soul's bedside table showed it to be more like midafternoon. I rolled back to my side of the bed stretching to test the ability of my sore body. The pain followed by this led to the discovery of the medication, which Soul had laid out on my nightstand. _Thank Lord Death._ Refusing to allow Soul to feel guilty for any pain on my behalf, I quickly gulped the pills down and got out of bed, determined to show him I was fully capable of handling myself. I felt more steady and attached to my limbs today. My zombie shuffle had progressed to an old woman's limp as I made my way towards the smell of food, foregoing a change of clothes.

I found Soul in the kitchen, muttering curse words to himself as he cooked what smelt like bacon on the stove. He was still in his boxers; however, he had unfortunately thrown on a t-shirt as well. Blair was nowhere to be seen. Clearly incapable of making a stealthy approach in my current condition, he turned to face me as I entered the room. A lazy smile flopped across his face when he saw me. "I'm not quite done making 'breakfast' if you want to grab a shower."

"Are you calling me dirty?" I paused to think about the words that left my mouth after I said them. _When will I ever learn._

The look on his face alerting me to my mistake. I spoke again before he could answer. "You know what, don't answer that."

I felt heat rising to my face as I darted to the bathroom, best I could, slamming the door behind me. I could hear him chuckle, it was a happy sound. Whatever he had been beating himself up over didn't appear to currently be on his mind. Avoiding looking at myself in the mirror, I pulled the clothes from my body, turning on the shower before easing myself into the hot stream. The rush of hot water leaving traces of red across my skin. I yelped ever so slightly when the water encountered the stitches of my wound. I traced my fingers across it, starting just below my breast, curving across my chest and then trailing down my side, ending just behind my hip, where one might place a tramp stamp. It was worst at the curve. Mild amounts of dried blood turned red once more, vanishing across my body. I got to cleaning myself. Humming to the sound of a song I once heard. It wasn't long before I was squeaky clean and wrapping a towel around my naked body; only to realize all my clothes were in my bedroom. I was going to have to travel past the kitchen, and more importantly Soul, in my current attire to get there. Heat pooled between my thighs at the idea of him seeing me wrapped in only a towel, hair still dripping from the shower. _Knock it off hormones. I mean we had been dating though… Surely we've._ I whipped the thought from my mind, embarrassment flooding through me as I opened the door to the hall.

I tip toed across the wood floor, hoping and not hoping vainly, that Soul wouldn't turn around as I past him. Of course, he did as soon as he heard me. "Hey Maka-" he stopped mid-sentence. His eyes in no way shyly tracing my body. Both of us stuck, afraid to look away. I could feel the arousal I couldn't quite place spreading. Neither of us spoke as he set the pan down, the stove still red hot; he stepped closer to me, edging out of the kitchen like I was a deer which might flee at any moment. "Soul." My voice came out raspier than I had meant it, but his eyes were setting me on fire.

My voice had apparently also erased his reserves because he was upon me in the next moment, lost memories be damned. He pressed me against the wall, skillfully avoiding my stiches, his knee inserting itself between mine, pressing them apart. My towel lay forgotten on the floor. I wrapped my calf around his, inviting him in, wanting to know what he knew. The tingling in my groin was becoming painful. His eyes devoured my body, a beast starved of its prey. A horrific pained look accompanied a sharp twinge in my chest when he saw my scar. He started to pull away before I wrapped my arms around his neck, forcing him to look at me. "Hey, hey. It's okay." My voice was silent, pleading. I ran one hand up to his cheek, and then behind his head, fingers intertwined with hair. I pulled him to me, wanting to rid his face of the pain. He softened under my touch, his hand running down my bare sides, sending a thrill through my body.

I pulled his face to mine, he pressed his body into me and against the wall. For a moment, we only stared, foreheads touching, breath mingling between us. Desire, but hesitance on both parts. I wanted him. He needed me. I intertwined my second hand with his hair, and that was all he needed. His lips crushed into mine, six months of deprivation driving us both. The pressure of him on me pulled against my stiches, in a painful way, but the agitation in my nether regions outweighed the pain. As his teeth drug across my lower lip, a memory of him came back to me.

 _It was initiation and everyone was partnering up. Children finding children in a vast room, souls intertwining, friendships beginning. But I felt out of place, disconnected. Somewhere down the hall the sound of a piano drifted towards me, and I followed it. Followed it to Soul. At the sight of him playing the twisted music, both dark and light, his white hair, distrustful eyes, my soul had reached for him. As his song ended I clapped, startling him from his trance. "That was amazing."_

" _No one was supposed to hear that. How much do you even know about music?"_

" _Almost nothing." I smiled. "I'm Maka. Meister."_

 _He hesitated. "Soul. Weapon."_

" _Well Soul, it appears we're the only two who haven't paired yet. What do you say, want to be partners?"_

 _I reached my hand towards him and he grasped it-_

A searing pain ripped through my skull; I was face to face with a frowning red demon in a checker tiled room. A broken piano lay forgotten in the corner. "Stop," he snarled at me.

I half gasped, half shrieked, my hands flying to my temples to try and block the pain. It felt like someone had just stabbed a knife into my skull. Soul immediately pulled back, hands grapping my waist to keep me from falling to the ground. "Maka, shit I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have, here." He quickly snatched the towel from the floor and wrapped it around my bare body. "Are you okay, what hurts, what can I do, I'm so sorry." Worry jerked his thoughts from one thing to the next.

I couldn't pull my hands from my head, it hurt so bad black blurs encroached on my vision. "Soul." Was the only word I could manage to get from my mouth.

"Maka, what is it. Tell me what's wrong. What can I do?" He was pleading with me, but I couldn't think straight enough to answer him.

"Give me," I panted, "A second." I closed my eyes trying to calm my breathing. My current state of clothing, or lack thereof, and previous arousal forgotten. His hands were frozen on my side, afraid. His breathing forcefully quiet.

It took a hot minute, but as the pain began to dull I spoke. "It wasn't anything you did, I promise. When we kissed, it brought back the memory of the first time we met. It's just right when I remembered that a searing pain like a knife in my skull, shot through my head. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." I pulled one trembling hand from my head, leaving that side of my head throbbing harder as I placed my hand on his stunned face. I ran my thumb across his cheek and tried to smile at him. Clearly I was unconvincing, because he pulled me into his lap on the floor, enwrapping me with his arms like he could protect me from everything there. And maybe he could. I let my hands fall, pressing my head into the warmth of his chest.

"You scared me," he whispered against my hair.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologize, you're not allowed."

"Stop that." I spoke firmly, despite the pain in my head.

"Stop what?"

"Being unreasonably hard on yourself." I looked up, back into his guilty eyes.

I placed my hands on either side of his face, entrapping him there so I could lean up to him. I wouldn't have him afraid to touch me. I placed my lips on his, ever so gently, inviting him back to me. His lips didn't move until I ran my tongue across his lower lip, reminding him of my importance. He opened his mouth to me, gingerly. I kissed him again, this time his mouth moved with mine, he pulled me closer to his body; and this is how Blair found us. Bursting through the front door with a large cake which read: "Welcome Home Maka!", she caught a glimpse of us. Me half naked with Soul wrapped around me like a mama bear, mid kiss.

"Well don't mind me. I'll just set this right here." She plopped the cake onto the counter, causing an audibly awkward sound. "And make myself scarce." She scooted back out of the door with a rambunctious laugh.

Soul's face was beat red, and while I knew I should be embarrassed, something else had attracted my attention. "Hey Soul." He looked at me. "Do you smell that; I think somethings burning?"

"Shit." He carefully, but quickly untangled himself from me. My body protested, but he helped me up and I followed him back to the stove. Albeit at a much slower pace.

"Should I go get her?" I felt kind of rude, she had brought me a cake.

"Chances are she'll only make… shall we just say jokes." He smirked at me in a way that was more of a cringe.

I quickly looked away, ignoring his implications I spoke. "We can just save this for whenever she returns then." I stowed the pastry in the fridge before turning back to him.

"It might be a while we used to-" He caught himself before he continued, turning back to his task at hand.

I decided not to think too much about what the rest of that sentence might have contained, while I leaned against the counter watching him. He had already turned off the stove eye, and was in the process of angrily throwing a pan of charred meat into the sink. He turned on the water, allowing it to strike the pan, eliciting an aggressive sizzle as warm smoke curled into the air. Opening the fridge, which proved to be rather barren aside from what appeared to be some yogurt, a partial carton of eggs, milk which I wouldn't be surprised if it were spoiled, and some old pizza. Turning to me he spoke. "I guess I need to go to grocery store." One of his hands ran up the back of his neck and mussed his hair.

"What have you been living off?" However, that's when it dawned on me. "You never left the hospital room, did you?"

He turned away from me, closing the refrigerator door. "I could order some Chinese food, they deliver. How's that sound?"

I guess I'd been so wrapped up in what I couldn't remember, that I hadn't noticed what was right in front of me. There were dark circles under his eyes, which although were naturally droopy looked unnervingly sad. His smile was strained, not quite pulling his lips over his shark teeth. His hair, which even in the memories I had of him was messy to say the least, was a little off. A little less styled mess and a little more bed head. "Soul?" My voice was concerned, quiet. I moved toward him to place my hand on the small of his back. He refused to look at me, I wanted to wrap my arms around him, but I couldn't without dropping my towel. So, I did the next best thing. I squirmed my way in-between him and the counter, and tilted my head up to meet his gaze. "Soul, tell me."

His arms snaked around me, squeezing my body against his. His chin was resting on my head, and I could feel it move as he spoke. "When it first happened, I was in such a blind state of panic that BlackStar had to knock me out for Stein to be able to take you to the surgical room. For the first time in what felt like my whole life, I couldn't feel your soul there with mine. It was like someone had chopped off my limbs; I was in a dark room with no light to tell me which way to escape. I couldn't get the image of the black blood seeping out of your chest, or the demon's laughter in my ear, out of my head. Every time I fell asleep the same scene played over again, and again. Somewhere along the line I stopped sleeping, Stein started drugging me, making me go home. But, there were just too many reminders of you there, and I was convinced you would never wake up without me by your side. Even last night I was afraid if I went to sleep, I would wake up to you in a hospital bed."

"I heard you, you know, in that odd dream world the little demon created for me, while I was in a coma. I thought I was going crazy because I would hear this boys voice calling to me. Every time I heard it, your voice, it was like it was leading me out of a dark room. You're the reason I woke up." My face was still pressed into his body. "And I'm not going anywhere now." He refused to let me move.

"I'm the reason you were in the bed." I could feel the turmoil of his soul seeping into my chest through the string. I didn't like it. I shook it free, and instead sent my soul's wavelength back to him. A much warmer, calming feeling washing into his soul.

"We're partners right? That means no matter what happens equal fault falls on both of us. Besides, our souls call to one another. Even I can see that, absent memories and all. Go ahead and order Chinese, I'm going to go get dressed." I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to erase this pain of his, not until I had my memories back.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a much calmer fashion, us on the couch with Chinese, my feet in his lap, me watching the T.V, him watching me. At some point, Blair returned and curled up next to me, she fell asleep to the tune of me stroking her back. That night, I laid across Soul's chest, stroking his hair, refusing to go to sleep until I was sure he had. When his thumb stopped making circles on my back, I continued to play with his hair until I drifted off as well. The rest of the week was pretty much uneventful, and consisted of Soul treating me like an invalid. I could tell he was afraid to trigger anymore of my memories, I saw flashes of things here and there, but nothing big enough to anger the black blood. In fact, I was almost getting bored when Stein showed up on our front step. _So much for calling before you came over._

"I was in the area and Blair told me you were both home, so I came for a check-up." He watched me as he ticked the screw in his head. "If you wouldn't mind, go change into something that I can observe your wound in."

I nodded, and Soul invited him inside while I headed back to my room to change. I didn't particularly want to wear something that left my stitches visible, every time Soul saw it he looked more and more guilty. I hated seeing him like that, blaming himself for something that wasn't truly his fault, like I had in the nagging memory of Crona. I pulled off the tank top I had previously been wearing, along with my bra. Instead, I shimmed on a sports bra and left it at that. Even I ignored looking at myself in the mirror on my walk back to the living room. I had gained some of my weight back, the muscle however, was still nowhere to be seen. _Hey, well at least you can walk like a normal human being now._

Avoiding Soul's gaze, even though I could feel his soul shying away from me, I walked over in front of Stein. He went about his exam as he spoke. "I have a theory; I think you and Soul need to try and resonate souls. I believe there's a possibility that this could trigger your memories, even if not all of them. Have you seen Soul's weapon form since you came back home?"

"No, I have-" Before I could finish my sentence Soul butted in.

"Last time Maka's memory was triggered she screamed in pain." He sounded defensive. Like this was adequate reason for me not to try and get my memories back at all.

"I was afraid of that, but think of it this way. It's the black bloods only method of deterring you from trying to get your memories back. The memories which help you keep hold of your sanity. Was it not Soul who brings you back from the depths each time? Maka, the little red demon, which you two normally associate with the madness caused by the black blood, was he there?" Stein's hands momentarily paused as he looked at me.

"Yea he looked angry and told me to stop." I stole a glance at Soul, he hid it well, but I could see the mild amount of hurt in his eyes that I'd left this tidbit of information out before.

"This could be all the more reason for you two to resonate souls, it would give you a chance to face him together. However, it wouldn't surprise me if resonating souls doesn't come so easily to the two of you anymore. That in and of itself could be its own battle, involving high resistance from the blood."

Soul spoke up, "Is there no way to do this without causing Maka physical pain." The way he spoke told me he already knew the answer.

"I'm afraid not Soul. Maka, I'm not clearing you for strenuous activity as in do not jump into training. However, I believe working with Soul in weapon form, trying to wield him not to attack anything, just physically wield, would be good for you. If you so desire, you may do mild cardio workouts. Engaging in combat, heavy lifting, running, anything that would cause you to break into a sweat, will lead to you busting your stiches; which needless to say will be detrimental to your healing process."

"Yes sir," I replied. Soul mumbled something in the background. He was sulking.

"If I may ask, when you saw the demon, how was that memory triggered and what was the memory?" Stein directed his gaze as Soul, who looked at me.

Staring at the ground, a blush creeping onto my face, I answered quietly. _Dammit Soul_. "The memory was of the day we first met, it was triggered when we… we were…." I trailed off before blurting, "kissing." Very quickly.

I could hear the screw turning in his head. "Well, that gives me an entirely new hypothesis on how to bring back your memory." He chuckled. Even Soul was embarrassed now; I could feel it in his soul. "I'm also intrigued that the memory and the trigger don't appear to have any clear connection." _I hadn't thought of that._ Soul's face revealed a similar thought before the professor continued.

"I'll be heading out now. Just remember you're the demons host, it can't kill you. Oh, and I'm unsure of how much longer I'm going to be able to deter BlackStar from breaking down your door. I've been keeping him busy with missions." Stein waved over his head as he closed the door. I heard him add from the other side: "Your fathers still sulking that you went home with Soul."

"Okay, let's see it." I turned to Soul, ignoring Steins forewarning of my friends and 'family', he still looked like he was sulking as well. _Maybe you and my papa weren't so different._

"See what?"

I grabbed the nearest book to my body, marching over to his side of the living room I swiftly brought it down on his head. "Don't play dumb with me, you know what I mean, YOUR WEAPON FORM."

"Dammit Maka that hurt." He griped, rubbing his head before he continued. "You want me to change into a scythe, in the middle of the living room I might add, when we don't even know for sure if you can handle me? Bad idea Maka."

"Fine, then let's go somewhere else."

"No." Soul's tone was harsh, his soul pulled back from mine. _You're clearly still sulking._

"What're you so afraid of Soul? I have to get my memories back, you heard the professor."

"Did you not hear the part about how the black blood is going to fight every part of this, I can only imagine the pain you felt earlier isn't going to have anything on the pain to come."

"Soul."

"I won't do it, I won't watch you torture yourself, and for what? So you can remember me? The weapon who let their own meister almost die. I don't think-"

"SOUL, I have to remember."

"Why Maka. What makes you so sure it's worth it." He backed away from me, his fist curling at his sides. His face twisting into some form of self-loathing, I hated every bit of it.

"Do you not understand Soul. It's not up to you, it's my memories. Our memories. Do you not want me to remember? Do you not realize that what you described to me before, how when I got hurt it felt like someone had chopped your arm off, well how do you think I feel now? With this giant hole in my memories, a hole that covers so much of my life." I hadn't meant to let my emotions get the better of me, but I could feel warm tears swelling up in my eyes. I defied the tears with a scream as I headed to the bedroom, slamming the door behind me as soon as I crossed the threshold.

A few hours passed before Soul showed up at the door, knocking before he came in with a piece offering, some sandwich he'd scrounged up in the kitchen. He slid it across the bed to me. "I'm sorry." I honestly wasn't expecting it, his apology. Didn't change the fact that I was still upset.

I didn't reply, or make any move to look at him. _How could he not want me to remember?_ "Maka, please. Look at me." His soul tickled against mine afraid to stay there long.

I sat up in the bed and turned towards him. "What Soul."

His hand was in his hair, he stayed by the nightstand, too anxious to move closer. "I know you're right. You have to get your memories back, that wasn't cool of me."

"Why're you fighting me." I hadn't meant to sound hurt, but I did. _I was._

"I hate that I can't do anything. I can't stop whatever pain you're in, I just sit by and watch you clutch at your body. The body I allowed to be maimed." He looked away from me.

"Soul, stop blaming yourself. Watching you tear yourself up, isn't going to help anything." I could see in his facial expressions that my response wasn't the right thing to say, like he was going to hide his emotions from me now.

"Why didn't you tell me about the demon." He was still staring into the corner, talking to the piano.

"I don't know." I watched his profile, waiting for him to turn towards me.

"If we're going to do this, if we're actively going to try and get your memories back. You can't hide stuff from me, you have to talk to me Maka."

I had a feeling we'd had a similar conversation before. "Okay, I will." I stared into his red eyes. "I promise."

His face softened, and he transformed his forearm into a scythe. Except rather than being solely a weapon, it was also a piano, or a keyboard more accurately. He held it before himself and brought his other hand up to play.

 _We were sitting on the steps of the DWMA, we'd just won the war against Asura. We were surrounded by all our friends, really the entire academy. Soul was playing for us, but his eyes were just on me. The music was something we had made together, that's what Soul had said to me. I was blushing as Marie and Stein were discussing how partners who resonate well usually are very romantically compatible, and I knew. I could feel it in the song he was playing, in all its twisted reality, that Soul loved me. Even if he hadn't said it yet. Maybe I even loved him._

" _Really Maka, why are you so determined to let this boy back into your life?"_ I was in the room with checkered floors and red walls, a broken piano taunting me from the corner.

" _Wouldn't it just be so much easier to let the madness take root."_ The demon smiled at me, his suit wavering as he danced off beat.

" _You never had me though, I don't recall ever losing control while I was in a coma."_ I replied to the creature _._

" _Well, I guess you have me there. No, I never have gotten full control of you. I suppose Soul was there to pull you out, or keep you from sinking under. But, are we sure it's worth this-_

That's when the pain hit me, yet again like someone had shoved a serrated knife into my temple. I doubled over, clasping my arms around my head, stifling the cry of pain I knew was coming. Soul had his arms around me in the next moment, pulling me into his lap, curling his body around mine like a shield as he spoke. "I can't stand this."

The pain hadn't subsided enough for me to answer, so I just twisted my body around to wrap myself around him instead, trying to shield a shield. We stayed like that. Silent. Until the pain in my brain eased off. "I remembered the night after we defeated the kishin. When everyone was in front of the academy." I looked up at him, but didn't make any move to unravel us.

He tried to smile. "That was a good day, everyone was so happy after having been afraid for so long. Even looking pass the losses, it was a good victory for the DWMA. Plus, we got to go to the moon."

"Soul." I needed him.

"Yeah?"

"Kiss me." His arms around me loosened, frightening me momentarily before I realized he had done it to get better access to me. Which I only approved of too much. His hand slid down to my waist and he flipped me over onto the bed. He looked down at me, his knees on either side of my hips as he leaned downwards.

"Like this?" He asked, warm breath caressing my lips. Part of me was surprised he complied. I slid my hands across his abs, then up around his shoulders and into his hair to keep him from escaping. Our lips met, gently, just barely touching. He kissed me once, twice, three times before asking entrance with his tongue. He bit down on my lower lip, sucking on it before he slid his tongue into my parted lips, exploring the entrance of my mouth as he pulled away. His forehead resting on mine, I opened my eyes to see his staring at me. "I really missed you." He needed me too.

I wasn't sure how to reply, so I leaned up to kiss him again, softly, hands sliding down his back. I trailed my kisses down his neck, sucking on the skin there, I could swear he almost moaned in my ear.

Pulling away too soon he spoke again. "Come on, if you're wanting to train today we better head towards the school." He rolled off me and the bed, before reaching his hand out to me. I grasped his slender hand and allowed him to lead me from the apartment.


	3. Remembering

Chapter Three: Remembering

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Here is the third chapter and the start of the smut;) you've been forewarned. Hope you enjoy, thank you for all the support! -Love, TheRabbitRe.

(p.s. There's a possibility that the next chapter may take two rather than one week to come out, because I'm foreshadowing a busy week. However, if my week isn't as busy as I'm afraid it'll be the chapter will come out on Sunday like always!)

* * *

We arrived at the DWMA not long after, skidding to a stop on his motorcycle; we headed out on foot to the woods behind the school, where stein frequently held classes. Neither of us particularly wanting an audience for this. We wouldn't admit it, but we were both worried about how well this was going to go. _I don't have my memories and even I realize our souls aren't resonating like they used to. I wonder how you feel Soul._

Soul broke the silence, pulling me to a stop in the middle of a clearing. "There should be plenty of space here, you ready?"

I nodded defiantly, holding my hand out for his, he did the same. The light of his soul shined out as his body transformed to its death scythe form, the smooth silver metal landing in my hands. The eye of the red and black scythe focused on my face as I winced, his metal searing my hands.

" _MAKA, what's wrong. Why did you drop me?" Soul shouted at me from the ground in his weapon form._

 _I looked down at the fresh burn marks on my white gloves. "The metal, your metal it burned me."_

 _From the far side of the bridge we were standing on Tsubaki called out from BlackStar's side. They couldn't fight anymore, I knew that. Free stood in front of me prepared to cast his next spell. I was afraid, but I would have to fight through it. I picked Soul up from the ground, tightening my grip as I felt the heat sear my skin. Bracing myself I stepped forward-_

" _Maka, Maka, do we really need to keep doing this."_ The demon rocked, moving toward me he snapped his fingers. The pictures on the wall shifting to screenshots of every fight me and Soul have ever had, majority of which I don't remember. _"Are you and Soul even really compatible, I mean you don't even have your memory of these fights and yet your souls won't sync up."_

His smile widened as I stepped towards him threateningly. _"Give me back my memor-"_

" _Oh, but not so fast Maka."_ He winked.

Once again my brain felt like it was being torn apart, if the burn of Soul's shaft hadn't already caused me to drop him, this pain would have. I staggered, gripping my fist into my overcoat and clinching my eyes shut, I refused to give the demon the pleasure of hearing me cry out.

"Maka? Maka, what happened?" Soul's hands were already at my sides, waiting for me to open my eyes. He was closer than I had expected him to be, his face just far enough away for me not to feel his breath.

When the pain finally subsided, I recapped the previous events, which he had been unaware of considering they all took place in my mind.

"I guess I can't say I'm surprised, but I really was hoping this would be easier." He replied.

"I want to try again, change back." I looked up at him. _I'm going to get this right today. I will be able to wield you._ My demanding tone didn't faze him; he was either use to or expecting this. It could go either way. Maybe even it was a mixture of both.

Once again he was a weapon in my hand, still uncomfortably hot searing into my skin. I gripped him tighter. Closing my eyes, I tried to concentrate on aligning our souls, but more so just calming mine. His soul was everything my body remembered it to be, but mine, mine was erratic, refusing to succumb to his pace. I felt like BlackStar, my soul bouncing from one place to another like it was lost, unsure of who it was supposed to be and maybe it was unsure. I wasn't sure how to fix it. Even when Soul tried to match me, chaos erupted. We were at it for hours. "Maka…" He spoke up, knowing we were getting nowhere. Knowing I would fight stopping.

"I can do this Soul." I took a breath. No matter how hard I tried to force our souls to cooperate, it wasn't working. So, I tried a different approach, I decided not to worry about the differences in our soul wavelengths, instead I thought back on the memories I'd regained of us. On how I knew I had felt about Soul. The way his soul was always there with mine, supporting me without speaking, how I had known what he was feeling without words, I even thought back to the fights we've had. I could feel our souls start to tick in place, mine finally remembering who he was to me. _But who was that exactly?_ It wasn't quite there, not cohesive, but the burning in my hand eased up some which showed progress.

"That's getting better." He sounded relieved.

"Soul?" I had an idea.

"Yeah Maka?" He changed back into human form as I let go of him, giving my hands a break. I didn't want to see the skin beneath the gloves.

"Tell me a story. One of us. Something we did before all this happened. I think it'll help." I nodded towards him, smiling encouragingly.

He returned the smile, standing across from me he paused to think. "The first time I took you on a date, your father, we found out, had been stalking us wearing some shoddy disguise."

"He didn't." I was mortified at something I didn't even remember happening.

"He did. Not only that, but he had half of Chupa Cabras there with him." Soul laughed at something only he remembered.

"I'll kill him."

"Oh you did, slammed a hardback you just bought into his skull, more than once, it rivaled even one of Lord Death's chops." He sniggered again. "That's another thing, you demanded I take you to the book store for our first date, which is really just an everyday activity for you. Later you told me it was because you had been nervous," he paused, "it was really cute."

There was nothing more that I wanted at this moment than to remember what he was talking about, but I didn't, and not even his words brought it back. I just wanted to be able to laugh together with him. I stepped closer to him so that I could take his hand. "I wish I remembered that."

"Nothing came back to you?" He looked a little sad.

"No." Although I had thought it would.

"Maka." He sounded mildly alarmed.

"What?" I jerked my head around trying to figure out what was wrong. Only to realize he was observing the glove in his hand. Or more importantly my hand in that glove.

"There are holes burned through your glove!" He ripped the glove off, flipping my palm up to observe. "You didn't tell me I was burning you this badly." No doubt, he was angry.

All I could do was sheepishly smile, in all honesty I hadn't realized how bad it was either, but part of my hand was blistering. I knew I couldn't lie, but I did anyway. "It's really not that bad. I barely feel it."

He gingerly touched one of the sores, only to watch me grimace. He made a sort of 'mhhmm' sound as he began leading me from the woods. "WE'RE going home now and I'M addressing your hands."

I wanted to keep practicing and every part of my brain screamed to protest. However, I had a feeling that was a bad idea, so I tried telling myself it was getting dark out anyway, and we should be heading back regardless of my minor hand injuries. The ride back was rather silent, not in a silent treatment kind of way, which I would not put past my weapon partner, but in a peaceful way. Instead of watching the city I knew so well flash by, I found myself watching Soul's face in the side mirrors of his bike. How he blushed ever so slightly when I wrapped my arms around him rather than keeping my hands at his side. How he'd smile a little whenever the bike would accelerate. When he turned the bike a kind of concentrated smirk would appear, and his forehead would wrinkle up gingerly. More than anything, being this close together I could feel his heartbeat as it followed the pace set by the bike. There was something home like about the whole experience.

" _Soul when I agreed to let you drive us to our next mission, I hadn't realized you meant on your motorcycle." I stood a safe distance away from the metal death trap that stood before me._

 _Soul was perched atop it, holding the one and only helmet out towards me. "I'm sorry, were you expecting me to be driving a mini-van? Come on, hop on, it'll be fun." He smiled that smirky, shark tooth smile at me._

 _I huffed, "No, but I didn't know you owned a motorcycle." Despite myself I shuffled a little, hands rubbing together in nervousness._

" _Maka you fight evil monsters consuming human souls, with the intention of becoming kishins on the regular, and you're afraid of a bike?" He gave me a dumbfounded look._

" _That's not a 'bike'. AND you only have one helmet. What about you?" I was making poor excuses and I knew it._

 _He just gave me a look. "Do you really think I ever wear this helmet? I won't wreck I promise, besides imagine how pissed your dad would be." He winked._

 _Sadly enough, that was a mildly convincing thing of him to say, at this rate we were going to be late. I stepped forward to take the helm-_

This was possibly the worst time for me to get a memory back, as the following pain caused me to grip tightly to Soul, which then caused him to swerve the bike. Not badly enough to cause any damage though. Just startle everyone. "Maka?" I could barely hear him over the wind.

I leaned upwards to his ear. "Sorry, I was just remembering the first time I got on your motorcycle. I'm honestly kind of surprised I was scared?" My grip on him hadn't loosened.

"How's your head?"

I didn't answer and I wasn't brave enough to watch his face in the mirror anymore.

It wasn't long after we returned to our apartment before Soul had me on the couch, telling me not to move while he went to dig out the first aid kit. Of course, I didn't listen, I moved to the kitchen sink to run water over my hands before he returned.

Blair popped up beside me, her breast pressing into my back as she fussed. "Maka, you really should take better care of yourself. How did your hands get like that!"

I tried to shush her, not wanting Soul to hear. "It's really not that bad, me and Soul we're just training. Our souls just weren't quite aligned yet."

"Quit trying to smooth things over. Didn't I tell you to stay on the couch?" Soul deadpanned as he walked back into the room. Blair bounded over to him before he could reach me however, engulfing him in her arms, and breast. I felt a flare of all too familiar jealously, which was followed by a brigade of flashing memories.

"Scythey-boy you really should take better care of our little Maka." She swung him back and forth. I could see a little bit of blood leaking from his noise, would have thought he'd outgrown that by now.

"Blair." Soul spoke sternly, trying to coolly disentangle himself from her. "I need to clean her hands." She pouted of course, shifting back into a cat with a huff before heading to her room.

Soul approached me, setting the variety of first aid materials on the counter. "Sit down." He ordered, I saw no reason not to comply. I lifted myself onto the counter, my miniskirt hiking a little farther up my legs than I had meant it to. I held my hands out for him, he placed one of his hands beneath mine. Slender fingers running across my wrist as he used a towel to dab the water away. He pulled out a disinfectant wipe, running it over my hand, leaving a lovely stinging trail behind. I hardly noticed, being distracted by his proximity, and admittedly my hands already hurt pretty badly. His face was leaning down, intent on his task, his hair was shielding his eyes. He applied some burn ointment after he was sure the wounds were clean, and then finished by wrapping them in white bandages. _Bandage wrap always did make me feel like a mummy._ His next action caught me off guard, he lifted each of my palms to his face and kissed the bandage there as lightly as a feather might dust my skin. _Where is this coming from?_ His eyes were looking straight into mine now, I couldn't read them. He rested his hands on my thighs, my hand reached forward to move his hair, out of his face, because that's what my body told me to do.

" _Ow, Soul that hurts." I complained from the side of the bathtub. Soul was dumping peroxide on my bloody knee, clearly not aware of how to properly clean something. But I was enjoying him trying. His spare hand was also a ways up my leg, which I guiltily admitted to myself was nice. So, I let him continue, and soon enough my knee had a nice big bandage over the top of it. "That was probably more painful than receiving the actually injury." Sometimes he was fun to irritate._

" _How 'bout I kiss it and make it better then?" He spoke sarcastically, but his eyes were shining with mischief. He leaned down and kissed my knee, his hands on either side of my thighs. He looked up at me before continuing his trail of kisses upwards, towards a certain other part of my anatomy._

I winced as pain shot through my head, honestly I was starting to get used to it. "You telling me stories may not bring back my memories, but apparently, you wrapping me in bandages does." I rubbed my temples, massaging the pain away.

"Guess that just goes to show you've been clumsy for most of your life." He smirked at me, a true Soul Eater Evans smirk. _Flashes of all the times he'd made fun of my flat chest, among other things, flitted through my mind._

He seemed more like himself in that moment. "You're lucky all my books are in the next room over." I sounded flirtier than threatening. Snaking my legs around his body, pulling him closer to me, his hands slid up my thighs.

"I'm sorry I burned you." He whispered against my throat before he kissed there. _Do you feel that guilty?_

"It's" my voice shook "not your fault."

He continued kissing upwards until his mouth was at my ear. "Let me make it up to you?" His voice was husky.

 _Who was I to argue?_ His hand went under my skirt, his way of making his intentions clear. He nibbled the lobe of my ear, pulling it downward with his sharp teeth. "Yes." I muttered mid-gasp.

He hiked my body up to his, hands on my ass, my legs tightened around him as he carried me to our bedroom. He used his foot to close the door the behind him, all the while creating a hickey on my neck, my hands were in his hair begging for more. Soul was all too willing to comply. He laid me down on the bed, his body keeping my legs apart, he ran a hand up my thigh as his lips found mine again. Kissing me hungrily, the months apart showing through his fever. His fingers ran across my other set of lips, still hidden behind my panties. Applying just enough pressure there to tease me. He bit my lip, I did love those shark teeth of his. A familiar warmth was gathering in-between my legs once again. His palm now pressed roughly against my privates, arousing my clit. "Do you want more." He stated, open eyes peering into mine. "You have to say it."

This boy would be the death of me. I ran my fingers up through his hair, gripping the locks roughly, bringing his ear to my lips. "Give me more." I wasn't sure where my sudden boldness was coming from, perhaps from my arousal, perhaps from some memory I didn't have.

I felt his smile spread against the side of my face before his lips found his way back to mine. His hand began its work, fingers barely slipping underneath the top of my panties, tickling the smooth skin before stripping the fabric away. I shifted my hips to allow their removal, and his fingers slowly trailed back upwards to the moisture gathering in-between my thighs. He was good with his hands; piano lessons were good for more than one thing. He started with my bundle of nerves, stroking it slowly, causing me to wiggle my hips impatiently. His strokes got rougher, and just when I thought he never would, he slid a finger into me without warning. I moaned into his mouth and he used that as a chance to slide his tongue down my throat. He already knew everything that turned me on, his finger finding the right spot in no time. The pace of his finger never slowed as he inserted another, moisture beginning to seep outwards onto his palm. His thumb found its place back on my clit, roughly rotating the bundle. My hips started to buck into his fingers. As I could no longer focus on returning his kisses, his mouth traveled to biting my ear, and then my neck, shoulder, lower. His pace stayed consistent as I moaned his name. It wasn't long before I reached my limit and he watched my face as I came, leaving his fingers in me as my muscles clenched around him. Only after did he let them slide out, my eyes found his again, and as the last waves of my orgasm ran through my body, Soul licked his fingers clean. With a certain smug look on his face, he then leaned back down to kiss me, his tongue sharing the taste of me, with me.

Unexpectedly he rolled off me, heading to the dresser to toss pajamas at me, casually, like the previous events had never happened. "What about yourself?" I asked, a mild blush crossing my face at the question. I could see his arousal though his pants. I have no idea where he gained this restraint of his, it was almost superhuman.

"Don't worry about it, it's late, you need your sleep. Besides I was making it up to you remember." He winked at me, taking off his clothes as well. I started to protest, but I really was beat. He came back to bed after turning off the light in only his boxers, at this point I was just wearing his t-shirt. Considering his t-shirts were my pajamas, and I didn't feel like retrieving my underwear. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against his body, his still evident arousal pressing into my stomach. I leaned up to kiss him softly, his manhood pressing a little harder into me at the shift. "Maka, I only have so much self-restraint." He warned. He rolled onto his back, and I curled up into him, taking comfort in the warmth.

" _Maka we should stop here." Soul paused, momentarily pulling himself off me._

" _Why?" I didn't understand why he didn't want to continue with our… activities._

" _I only have so much… self-restraint. I can't go much farther without wanting more, and I don't want to… force anything on you…" He blushed. It was sweet._

 _With the realization of what he was implying however, I blushed too, looking away before whispering. "It's okay you wouldn't be forcing anything, I want to… too."_

 _His hands turned my face back towards him. "Are you sure, we really don't-"_

 _I shut him up with my lips before grinding my hips into his. Hearing him moan, feeling him press against me, it was new, but not bad._

" _Are you determined to make life hard on yourself."_ The little demon spoke angrily.

As per usual, all of this was followed by pain. I hid it from soul however, just further burying myself against him, his hand ran through my hair. I didn't particularly want to articulate that memory to him. I wrapped my arm across his body, soon the pain faded and we both fell asleep.

I awoke before Soul for the first time since I returned from the hospital, which felt instantaneously more normal than how it had been the past week and a half or so. Which also meant that I got to cook, something I'm sure was better for the both of us. Slipping out of bed as to not wake him, I headed to the kitchen to start on breakfast, I was going to make omelets. "Maka." Soul mumbled in his sleep.

I paused at the door frame to look at him, I hadn't woken him. It was more like he'd realized I wasn't curled up against his side anymore, and had called my name in his sleep. His hand gripped the sheets at the side my body had previously been on before he rolled over, effectively finding himself on my pillow. The light from the windows danced across the smooth, pale skin of his back, highlighting the indents of his muscles. The sheets were down around his hips at this point. It was a distracting view I admit. _What did I feel for this boy?_ I couldn't quite decide. I couldn't place my feelings for him yet, they were too jumbled with all the holes in my memory. I turned from him, continuing my path to the kitchen. On the way there I lightly knocked on Blair's door, I didn't hear any movement on the other side which could only mean she'd headed out to charm the local fisherman. I laughed lightly to myself, setting about my task the morning filtering by to the mild sound of the stove sizzling, and the cracks of egg shells being broken.

"Whatcha cookin' good lookin'." Soul called from his position leaning against the kitchen counter. His sudden appearance startling me and I jumped about a foot in the air before whirling around to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry did I scare you." Soul's eyes laughed at me while he smiled. A real smile, one that pulled his lips up over his teeth.

"I've missed it."

"What?" He looked momentarily confused.

"Your smirky smile." Before he had a chance to respond, I continued. "Anyway, I'm making omelets. When did you get to walking around so quietly?"

"Are you implying I'm normally loud?" Aside from a quizzical look on his face, he let my comment go.

"Of course, just like big foot." I laughed at his now annoyed look, placing his omelet on the counter in front of him. I brought mine over as well, plopping down on a bar-stool, eating my omelet with a fork. Soul on the other hand never sat down, he engulfed his food in about two bites and then decided to clean up around the kitchen. I just watched. When I finished eating, I spoke up. "You ready to get back to training?"

"I was waiting for that one, change the bandages on your hands first." He peered at me, his face for once impossible to read because his soul was just, calm.

One bike ride later and we were back in the clearing, Soul nodded towards me shifting into his weapon form. I caught him, but I was surprised to find his handle wasn't burning me. It felt a little off, a little too warm in my hands, but it wasn't burning. Not like yesterday. I set about wielding him, twirling the blade around in muscle memorized patterns, reflecting the sunlight off the blade onto the forest floor. It was like a dance, the more my body moved with him naturally, the more our souls fell together like cogs in a machine.

" _Alright class, I've asked one of our better one star meisters to demonstrate to you how weapon partners function with their meisters." I heard professor Sid, pre-zombie, call from inside the classroom. I took a breath; I was a little nervous before stepping into the classroom. Soul had placed a comforting hand on my back as we walked in._

" _Hello, I'm Maka Albarn, one star meister." I looked at all the new faces within the classroom, they hadn't even partnered up yet._

" _I'm Soul." He smiled, shark tooth teeth and all. He got a few murmurs from the class before Sid asked us to continue._

 _Soul shifted into his weapon form, and I went about twirling him around my body. Easy as breathing. Sid was narrating to the class, trying to explain the process, what they shouldn't be worried about and so forth._

The black bloods familiar pain attacked my skull, I faltered for a moment before regaining my pace. Working past the pain. "Hey Soul." I knew what I wanted to try.

"I'll follow your lead." I saw his eye turn towards me.

"Alright, here we go. Let's go soul resonance!" I called, trying to hype myself up, convince my soul it would work. I felt our souls link together, stronger, wavelengths passing back and forth. A little too unstable, I wobbled on my feet, his scythe shifting forms. _Witch hunter. A multitude of its uses flashed around me, my brain unable to concentrate on one._ However, I didn't have control, and I slipped up, sending an unfortunate number of trees timbering throughout the forest. I landed on my ass. Our resonance wasn't quite right.

 _BlackStar dodged my attack that went tearing towards him. "Watch it Maka, we're supposed to be attacking Sid. NOT ME."_

 _Sid dove back underground, tunneling away. "Focus Soul, we can't afford mistakes like that!" We continued to bicker as Sid came back for us._

" _This is becoming tiresome Maka."_ I didn't see the demon within the checkered room. I only heard his voice.

Pain racketed through my head, and I whimpered mildly as Soul slid his now human arms around me. "We'll get it Maka. Don't worry. Something new always takes more than one day."

"That's the thing though. It's not new." I grumbled to myself, leaning my head against his shoulder. I looked up at the sky, birds filtering through the trees. I retold him the memories I retrieved, and he kissed my forehead before standing up to offer me a hand up from the ground. _Him doing the same after I told BlackStar to punch me, the same smile on his lips._ I took his hand, hiking myself up from the ground. We set back to work, trying again and again to use witch hunter, but never getting it quite right. _This happened before, when I was first able to use genie hunter._ I had a feeling that memory was different however, currently I can't control witch hunter because I can't resonate my soul with Soul properly. Back then, I was trying to master a new technique. I need a different approach. I need my memories back. "I need my memories back for this to work, don't I?" I said more to myself than Soul. Soul shifted back as I continued. "I just don't know how."

"Well. I guess if you're going to get your memories back, I'm going to have to stop being uncool." I looked up at Soul, mildly confused as he stepped towards me. "It took you a few days to get past my scar. I've had months. You were cool then, finding the courage to face your fear."

Just those few words were all I needed to remember that day clearly, which was odd considering his story hadn't sparked my memory at all yesterday; but, the day I remembered, was the day I had told Stein I'd found what I was missing, courage. Pin needles were poking into my brain, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. I ignored the mild pain as I spoke. "I only found the courage because I wanted to do right by you. You were so much stronger than me."

"All I've ever wanted to do, was do right by you Maka. You've always been the strong one." He placed his palm, flat, gentle, against the worst part of my wound. A mirror image of myself that day. Except he leaned over to kiss my forehead, and smiled. A real smile, one that pulled his lips up over his teeth. "I'm going to find the courage to face this, like you did."

I put my hand on top of his. "You don't have to do it alone."

" _You don't have to do this alone you know, I'll help you." Soul whispered in my ear from his position beside me on the couch._

 _His hand was on my thigh. "I don't call that helping, I call that distracting." I swatted him away with the magazine I was holding._

 _He snatched it out of my hands, flipping through the pages like he'd gone through them before, he stopped and pointed at an image. An image of a wedding dress. "This one's pretty." Even though he tried to hide it with his sarcastic smirk, he blushed a little._

" _Haven't you ever heard its bad luck for the groom to see the brides wedding dress before the wedding day." I pushed the magazine away crawling into his lap, he'd distracted me._

The little demons angry fist came down on the broken piano, eliciting a horrid noise-

I didn't want to delve into this memory with him right now. _Surely it wasn't what I think it was, I was probably trying to help Tsubaki pick out a dress._ But the memory filled me with some kind of soft warmth. I used this to help block the pain, to keep Soul from noticing.

"I know." His eyes softened as they looked in mine. My memories were starting to tick into place. Timelines making sense, events falling into order, even if there were still holes.

"Soul?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm in love with you." I was staring at our feet.

He put his hands on either side of my face, urging me to look at him, he spoke. "Maka, I know I'm in love with you. I'm just waiting for you to catch up, and I would wait for my entire life." I'm not sure if I kissed him, or if he kissed me. But we kissed, longingly, slowly, and for the first time I realized he wanted me to remember just as badly as I did.

"Should we give it one more shot?" He pulled away asking me.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."


End file.
